Dispensing container



July 1928.

, v 1,676,224 A. SPILIOTAKARAS ET AL I DISPENSING CONTAINER Filed March 29, 1926 I 2 Sheets-Sheet July 3, 1928. 1,676,224

A, SP! LIOTAKA RAS ET AL DI SIEIISIN(.1 CONTAINER I Filed March 29. 1926 2 Shee ts-Sheet 3 6 ll 4 .26 if M Sm- 3.

"Of/76.36 es W% Y WWW attozvww Patented July 3, 1928.

= JUNETEDI sra' r lama earn? orrrcep 4 DISPENSING CONTAINER.

Application filed March 29, 1926. Serial No. 97398.

The present invention relates to improvements in dispensing devices and hasfor its prlme ob ect to provlde a dispens ng container for plastic or semi-solidsubstances whereby the same maybe forcibly discharged in suitable quantities.

further objectof the invention'is the provision of a dispensing container ofthe above-character particularly designed for dispensing. food, such as mashed potatoes andthelike. Astill further object of the V invention is the provision of a dispensing. apparatusof the above type formed so that thecommodity therein may be'maintained in asuitably heated condition for instant service. 1 I Still another object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus of this type whereby the commodity maybe discharged inppr'edetermined:bulk. 1 i Another objectof the invention is the provision of a-dispensing container ofcompara tivel simple yet durable construction, eflicientyinoperationpand which can be .manufacturedat arelatively low cost.

.Other objects and advantages of the inventiongwill become apparent as the "description progresses. r I V gln the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis. specification and in which like reference characters are employed to desig- "nate corresponding parts throughoutthe same:--- Figure 1 is a sideelevational view of the assembledstructure. embodying my inven- -.Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view takenthrough the center of the same;

,Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary elevationalview,partially in section, showing Athe operating mechanism ;p i

' Figure. l is a horizontal transverse sectional view takenon the line 1 4 of Figure i 4. Figureo is a similar view taken on the 1ine5 5of Figure 2; and I Figurelli is a similarview taken on the 1in e e0 Figure I QB ferri ng now to the drawing, wherein the purpose of illustration is shown the I preferred embodiment of myiinvention, "the numeral 10 generally designates the tank or outer-casing for my improved dispensing de-- vi ce, this tank being cylindrical "in formaa tionj- This tank is closedatitsupperend by. ver- 11,.formedintegral withorrigidly' secured to the cylindrical body The,

lower end of the tank is closed by removable bottom plate'l2 provided with a verticaliy extending annular flange 13. l/Vith ref erence to Figure 2 of the drawings, it will be j noted that the flange 13 is arranged inwardly of the outer periphery of the bottom plate so that a sultable packing ring 14 may be dis- .posed betw'eenthe the outersurface ofthe flange, and .the inner surface of the wall of the tanlgto provide a substantially air-tight connection. r

I Arranged within from the wall thereof is a container 15,ialso the a tank 10 and spaced of. ylindrical formation. The upper endof edge, the outer periphery of the flange '16 snugly fitting against. the inner surface 'thecontainer 15 is open anda horizontal; annular flange 16 15 provided about its upper 15in a concentricallyspaced:positionwithinthe tank. The lower .end of the container 15 is closed by abotto1n17, this bottom being provided with an 'eccentrically arranged outlet opening. The bottom is of concave for mation, sloping from the circumferential connecting edge downwardly to the eccentric discharge opening to facilitatethe deliveryv of the material, to be dispensed, therethrough. i v

' is illustrated in the drawing, the con- 7 tainer 15 is. supported upon a plurality of angular brackets 18 secured to the; interior i of. the tank adjacent the lowerjend andadapted to support the container in an intermediate positiontherein. From the foregoing descripti0n,it Willbe n otedthat the container 15 is heldinposi- 7 tion in the tank, spaced from the side walls thereof so as to provide an intermediate chamber between theYtank and container.

An intermediate partition '19 is secured in the. tank casingimmediately.belowithe bot- I tom ofthe inner container 15,"thus forming a circulating chamber about the sid'esland bottomofthe container for the circulation of water or other liquid... .Thgis. liquid is Y supplied to the circulating chamber through anarcua-te opening formed: in the wall of the tanlgadjacent to and immediately be low. the plane of the annular flange 16 on the inner container. Secured tothe tank' and extending exteriorly thereof aboutthe opening 20 is a filling trough .21 arranged so as to facilitate-the delivery .of water or other liquid to thecirculating chamber In order that the liquid in the circulating chamber may be constantly maintained in a desirable heated condition, to heat the contents .ofthe container 15, we contemplate the provision of a heating unit 22, in the present instance embodying an electric heating coil positioned directly beneath the partition 19. This electrical heating element is connected, through the instrumentality of the conducting cable 23, with a suitable source of electric energy, andis designed to heat the water to a sufiiciently high temperature to constantly maintain the food matter in the container at a desirable temperature for table use. Attention is invited to the fact, however, that a gas burner or other type of heating element may be efiiciently employed for this purpose, and my improved appara tus is notrestricted to this particular type of heater.

It is further contemplated, in the construction of our invention, to provide mechanism for forcibly discharging the mashed potatoes or other contents of the container 5 through a suitable outlet, so that the delivery of the commoditymay be effected with extreme convenience and in suitable quantities. .This is accomplished, in the present instance, by means of a follower 24 in "the general form of a metallicdisk, its

upper surface being Hat and provided at its center with a pair of complementary ears 25. The lower surface of the piston disk 24 is of convened formation, designed to conform to thecontour of the bottom 17' so as to be snugly received therein in the lowermost position. of the piston.

The piston 24 is vertically reciprocated in the container 15 through the instrumentality of a threaded stem 26, provided at its lower endwith a reduced tongue 26 fitted between the ears 25 and secured thereto by a bolt 27. The upper end of the stem 26 projects through an opening in the upper central portion of the casing cover 11, adapted to permit vertical adjustment of the stem. In the illustrated construction of the device, the stem is adjusted by a manually operated mechanism arranged within the top of the tank and disposed substantially above the food container. This 'mechanism is supported upon a suitable frame structure embodying a frame bar 27 spaced somewhat below the cover 11 and supported by brackets 28 .at its ends. An auxiliary bracket 29 is arranged on one side of the frame bar 27 parallel to one of the frame brackets 28, and the purpose of this bracket 29 will be presently described. Inasmuch as theframe bar 27 is disposed diametrically of the tank an opening is formed in the center thereof to accommodate the stem 26, this opening being disposed in vertical.

alignment with the opening formed in the cover 11.

Arranged for rotatable engagement with the stem 26 is a sleeve 30 interiorly screw threaded for engagement with the threads upon the stem and provided at its upper and lower ends with hearing collars 31. This sleeve is supported between the cover 1.1 and the frame bar 27' and held against vertical movement therebetween. Fixed to the lower end of the sleeve 30 is a horizontally disposed drive gear 32. Arranged horizontally and journaled in the bracket '29 and end bracket 28 is a crank shaft *ro-' tatably mounted in a bearing 'sleeve'B l. The outer end of the crank shaft '33 carries a crank .31111 85 to the outer end of which is rotatably connected a handle 36. Firmly secured to'the inner end of the crank shaft is a beveled pinion, 37 meshin-gwith the drive gear 32. It is apparent, from :the'foregoing description, that rotary operation of the crank arm 36 will rotate the meshing beveled gears 32 and 37 and efi'ect rotation of the sleeve 30. This adjustment of the sleeve will cause upward or downward movement of the stem 26, depending upon the direction of rotation of the crank.

As shown to advantage, in-Figures 1 and 2, the tank 10 is supported in elevated position upon a plurality of supporti-nglegs 38 which may be of any conventional design.

F or the purpose of conveniently filling the container 15, a rectangular shaped opening is formed adjacent the upper end of the tank, this opening being closed by a door 39 carrying a latch 40, providing a fastener for the door. Where it is desired to drain the circulating water from the circulating chamber, the same may be conveniently emptied through a valve 41 mounted adjacent the lower end of the tank and communicating with the chamber.

As clearly illustrated in Figure 2, an outlet tube 42 is connected to the discharge opening in the bottom of the container and extends vertically "downward through an aligned opening formed in the bottom 12 of the casing. Detachably connected to the lower end of the outlet tube 42 is a discharge nozzle 43 in the present embodiment shown as of tapered formation bun Which may be formed in various shapes'solthat the commodity may be deposited on \a dish in fanciful arrangement.

In use, the mashed potatoesorother commodity is placed in the container '15, the follower 24 being previously arranged its elevated position to permit delivery of'the commodity through the opening in the upper end of thetank into theconta'iner. The circulatingchamber is then filled with water or other liquid and heated to a suitable temperature by means of the heating element22. When it is desired to obtain "a serving of mashed potatoes or other commodity from the container it is merely necessary-t0 rotate the crank arm 35 through the instrumentaL of the commodity through the discharge nozzle 43. The amount of the commodity delivered upon .a plate or other receptacle may be regulated by the crank movement. Thus,

a predetermined quantitymay be delivered upon one or more revolutions of the crank,

so that the operator can readily determine the quantity discharged through the nozzle 43' by the crank movement, without constantly observing the actual delivery of the commodity.

Itis to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described 'is to be taken as the preferred embodiment of the same, and that Various changes. as

to the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the 'subjoined claim.

Having thus described our invention, we

claim A dispensing apparatus comprlsing a casing having an opening formed adjacent its upper end for filling purposes, a closure for the opening, a container within the casing v spaced from the-Wall thereof and provided with a flange at its upper end seating against the inner side'of the wall of the casing ciring below the bottom of .the container, the casing having an opening below the plane of the flange at-the upper end of the container, the wall adjacent said opening being bulged outwardly. to form a hopper, "a removable bottom for the lower end of the casing, an electric heating unit supported upon the said bottom between the same and the partition to heat water introduced into the space between the casing and container, and a follower vertically adjustable in the container, the container having a discharge ,cumferentially below the said opening, a partition wall in the casing near the bottom thereof. closing therlowe'r portion of the casat its bottom for the material contained therein.

tures. I 7

, ASSIMAKIS SPIL'IOTAKARAS.

FRANK L. TAYLOR;

In testimonywhereot we aflix our signa- 1 

